(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates, in general, to an active control method of accelerator pedal effort and, more particularly, to an active control method of accelerator pedal effort which is configured such that, when a driver changes lanes while driving a vehicle, the method can actively control the accelerator pedal effort so as to reduce the pedal effort, and when the driver turns corners while driving the vehicle, the method can actively control the accelerator pedal effort so as to increase the pedal effort.
(b) Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 (RELATED ART) illustrates an organ type of accelerator pedal, as an example of related art vehicle accelerator pedals. The related art accelerator pedal includes: a pedal arm housing 1 that is securely mounted to a frame panel placed below a driver's seat; a pedal arm 2, one end of which is rotatably connected to the pedal arm housing 1; a pedal bracket 3 that is securely mounted to a floor panel placed below the driver's seat; and a pedal pad 4, one end of which is rotatably connected to the pedal bracket 3 and which is coupled to the pedal arm 2 by a ball joint coupling method.
In particular, a spring plate 5 is combined with an end of the pedal arm 2 that is placed in the pedal arm housing 1. A spring 6 is installed in the pedal arm housing 1 in such a way that a first end of the spring 6 is held by the spring plate 5 and a second end of the spring 6 is held by the pedal arm housing 1.
Accordingly, during an operation of the related art accelerator pedal having the above-mentioned construction, when the pedal arm 2 is rotated around a hinge shaft 7 relative to the pedal arm housing 1, the spring 6 is elastically compressed and forms pedal effort of the pedal pad 4.
However, the above-mentioned related art accelerator pedal is configured such that it should use a spring having a predetermined elastic modulus as the spring 6 so as to meet applicable safety laws and regulations, and so it is impossible to change the pedal effort of the related art accelerator pedal unless the spring 6 is replaced. Further, in the related art accelerator pedal, it is impossible to actively vary the accelerator pedal effort when a driver changes lanes or turns corners while driving a vehicle, and so the related art accelerator pedal cannot provide desired driving safety to the driver.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.